


The Game

by Atelophobia_Achluophilia



Series: Original Creative Writing [4]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Implied/Referenced Character Death, Not Beta Read, Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Original Universe, Prompt Fill, Short, Short Story, Stand Alone, Virtual Reality, creative writing, this was a school assignment, virtual reality game, writing challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 20:04:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12565144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atelophobia_Achluophilia/pseuds/Atelophobia_Achluophilia
Summary: Azra's whole life is the game, but when his best friend foreshadows her own disappearance because of the odd rules surrounding the game Azra must decide to listen to her or allow the virtual reality game to replace real life.





	The Game

**Author's Note:**

> This short story went through a ton of changes and editing. I have 3 final drafts, but since this is the one I used for my assignment, I figured I use it here as well. I hope you enjoy and if you want to read the alternative stories, please let me know by messaging me on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/secretlyjonhwatson)

Johanna hated the Game with every fiber of her being. Every day after school, every individual under the age of 21 in the world was required to log on to the massive online server and was transported to the alternate reality that made up the Game. She always claimed that if we neglected reality, then it would start to crumble. “And then where would we be?” she would ask, “What would be left for people to come back to?” These were questions to which I had no reply. We made an odd pair and we disagreed on almost everything, especially the Game, but we were as close as can be. She was my best friend and we told each other everything.

I saw seen her the day before she went missing, she had come over and convinced me to go walking with her that evening. I hadn’t wanted to leave the Game, but when I refused to go, the world went black. I panicked, thinking something had gone wrong with the Game program until I heard Johanna’s voice.

 “There, now you’re free. Come on.”

“Johanna, did you just unplug my server?” I asked, realizing what happened. I took off my VR visor to check, a frown clearly evident on my face.

“Yes, because there’s something I need to talk to you about,” she said. Her voice was calm, but her eyes were wild which was unusual for her. She was always calm, always collected, always of a cheerful disposition. Not today. Her arms folded across her chest, pulling the tight fitting blue dress shirt taut across her shoulders and back. “Please, Azra. Come with me.”

I felt the lines around my mouth deepen as I frowned further, but I put my visor down on my cluttered desk and looked at her expectantly. She whirled around without a word and made her way down the stairs. Sighing, I grabbed my sweatshirt and followed her, calling to my mother that I was going for a walk as I trotted out the back door after Johanna. I had to run to catch up with her, my long strides easily sliding my feet over the grass until I was beside her. We didn’t speak. Johanna walked quickly, eyes darting this way and that as we went. I had no idea where we were going and although I tried to engage her in conversation or get some kind of explanation, Johanna simply shook her head at me. Before I knew it, we were had walked through a wood on the outskirts of town and had come to a clearing, the moon shining in the sky, lighting the trees and the dew on the grass beneath our shoes. The stars were bright and they twinkled in and out of existence in the night, winking at me. My mouth opened wide at the sight as Johanna moved to sit down on a log. I sat next to her and she began to explain.

“They know. About me, about my not wanting to play the Game.” I stayed silent as she took a deep breath. “They’re going to come for me, Azra, I just know it. They told me I had to play or else they’d remove me, but I can’t. I won’t do something I disagree with.” She turned to me then, the light of the moon and all the stars in her wide, scared blue eyes which had turned black in the fading light. “You have to stop playing the Game. You have to get everyone to stop playing, Azra, or else there’ll be nothing left of reality. The government means to destroy the real world. They have the technology to keep people fully sustained when they play the Game; food, liquids, waste removal. They want everyone to play and stay in the Game. You’ll all be trapped in this dream world, this fantasy, and I’m scared that no one will even care! They’ve created a place no one wants to leave and that’s exactly what they intend; for no one to ever leave.”

I wrapped her in a hug as a sob wracked through her. “What you’re saying is nonsense, Joh. It isn’t true, the government wouldn’t do that. The Game is just that; a game. You shouldn’t worry about it so much.”

She pushed me away and looked up at the sky. “What is going to happen to this place then, Azra? What will happen to the sky? To the stars, to the moon and the sun. They’re going to die while all of you are in that game. I’m going to die.”

“You are not going to die, Johanna! What has gotten into you all of a sudden?”

She didn’t respond and the noises of the wood began to creep in. Crickets chirped and an owl hooted softly from one of the trees, its voice echoing through the atmosphere. A cold wind swept past us, chilling me like the words that spilled from Johanna’s mouth. The stillness of the moment amongst the activity of the forest reflected Johanna; her outward clam with chaos raging just below the surface of her skin.

    “We should go back,” she whispered, her gentle voice cutting through the noise like a sharp ended blade. 

I walked her back to her home in ominous silence. She hugged me tightly when we reached her doorstep and refused to let go. For endless minutes we stood there until her embrace lessened. “Be safe. Do what I’ve told you, and whatever you do, don’t let them know what you know.” She pulled back from me then and smiled, the upwards tug of her lips not quite reaching her mournful eyes. “You’re an amazing friend. Goodbye, Azra.” She kissed my cheek and then was gone, slipping through my hands as she disappeared behind the door. I spent the night lying awake, tossing and turning in my bed and worrying about her.

The following day, she didn't show up to school, and afterward, she didn't play the game. Her character remained in its pod, the elven creature elegant and peaceful in its sleep. That was when I knew something was wrong. After my allotted time in the Game the next day and still no word from Johanna, I logged out and raced to her house to find the front door unbolted. Letting myself in as I had done on countless occasions, my eyes were met with the image of her parents and younger sister crying, a stranger in a black suit sitting at their table. His face was passive, expressionless as they wept about him.

"What's going on?" I asked, going over to her sister and grabbing hold of her shoulders lightly embracing her and wiping a tear from her cheek. She shook in my arms as I whispered soft encouragements in her hair. When I received no answer from anyone, I raised my head from Agatha’s auburn curls and inquired forcefully, “Where is Johanna?”

 It was the stranger who spoke, in a cold, gravelly voice devoid of all emotion. "It would be best for you if you forgot about Ms. Johanna. She broke the rules, so we removed her.”

“Rules?” I questioned, “What rules did she break?”

The stranger tilted his head slightly at me, the light casting dark shadows on his sharp, angular face, making him appear skeletal. “She refused to play the Game. She wished to create a rebellion against it, we asked her not to but she refused to comply. But have no fear; the problem has been dealt with.” 

The rest of what everyone said to me was lost. I felt the cold seeping into my bones. Dealt with? “I-I have to go now,” I stammered, letting go of Agatha who clawed at my arm for me to stay and rushed out, leaving the door flung open behind me. I ran home in a sort of trance. Was Johanna gone? No, she couldn’t be. But then again… she had told me this was going to happen. She had known. How could this happen? I felt the hot wash of anger color my features as it filled me, cooled slightly at the center by despair and grief. Why couldn’t she just have listened and played the Game? If she hadn’t disobeyed the government she’d be here right now, her laughter the sound of tinkling bells ringing in the air. I could almost hear it, I could almost see her smiling her big, toothy grin. My feet padded over the streets we once walked down together, side by side, arm in arm.

“Be safe.” Her words echoed inside my head. “Whatever you do, don’t let them know what you know.”

I knew what I had to do then; I needed to continue to play the Game. I had to spread the word, as discreetly as possible about what awaited humanity. The people had to understand what was going on, what the government was doing to us! I needed to do this for Johanna. I strode into my house, cold and detached. I had a purpose now; a mission. This was something only I could do. After plugging it back in, I sat down at my computer and picked up my visor from the desk. A greeting from the Game flashed across my screen.

WELCOME BACK, IRON TRIANGLE.

 A deep sigh escaped me, like a huff of resignation. I clicked the ENTER button and got to work.


End file.
